Eph 3:20 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

Monday, January 25, 2010

Everybody getting silly

Worship he lifts me up I get down.....kids going for it.

Kids worshipping at home.

We started back with worship and bible study today. I have slowly, so very slowly,

stopped doing worship and bible study in the mornings since we moved to Texas.

I would use the excuse in my head that I had so many things to do... and I reasoned,

I was still having my own devotions.....

But the spirit of God was gently tapping on my spirit saying "this is the heart of what we

are doing Tanya, teaching the children about me, leading them closer to my spirt."

Then someone I was praying for needing encouragment homeschooling a difficult child

and I said "the academics would come, but teaching our children about Jesus... that had to be

now, every minute."

I was ministring to my own spirit at the time.

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16.26

This is the reason we homeschool. Because everything in the world can be learned... in the future,

when they have their spirtual legs, but now it is their souls that need tending to.

Yes we do academics. But Jesus is the main subject!

This is the song we sang today in Worship. I cried throught the whole thing.

STRONG TOWER

When I wonder through the desert And I’m longing for my home All my dreams have gone astray.When I’m stranded in the valley And I’m tired and all aloneIt seems like I’ve lost my way I go running to your mountain.Where your mercy sets me free

You are my strong tower Shelter over me, beautiful and mighty, everlasting kingYou are my strong towerFortress when I’m week

Your name is true and holyAnd your face all I seeYour face is all I see

In the middle of my darknessIn the midst of all my fearYou’re my refuge and my hopeWhen the storm of life is raging And the thunders all I hearYou speak softly to my soul

Thursday, January 21, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS!

Forgot candles, daddy brings matches..smart guy.

Ben and that mischievous boy look.

Ben and his Bumble Bee car.

Richard. Love it when they want learning toys.

Today we celebrated Ben's (age 5) and Richard (age 10) birthday. So hard to believe that Ben is five...It seemed like it was just yesterday that I picked him up from a Liberian orphanage. He is still so down to earth with his requests for life, a bumblebee car was all he wanted. His eyes just lit up when he opened the package with a bumblebee car!Now Richard, he takes getting presents a little more serious. He had already showed me what he wanted when we went shopping last week. He gave me several selections..Richard even though small in size is big in life! He knows what he wants, leads wherever he goes and is sure to succeed in whatever he does. I would of never guessed that the little African American. shy 18 month old boy, they brought us from foster care would have been so full of life.

Just another testimony to the GOODNESS OF GOD!

Before I started working with Africa I volunteered to work with an organization who had an orphanage in Haiti. I collected donations, did sponsorship coordination and fell in love with the country and it's children.It branched off into trying to help special needs kids and a boys home that was destitute.I traveled with answered prayers to Haiti and although I spend a lot of time crying (and sweating) I loved every minute of it. And not surprisingly, fell in love with a little two year old with Hep. C there.

I was so sure God was calling us to adopt her and called my husband to see if he would agree. He immediately said yes and we started the process.

Adopting from Haiti is not a easy or cheap task. The Dossier is very involved and expensive. Phychiatric evalutations, everything has to be translated into French and the list goes on. After spending hundreds of dollars, tons of time, my husband said he felt God was now saying no.If you have ever had a child already placed in your heart and then had it ripped out you know the pain it causes.

I felt like I had a miscarrage.

The stubborn woman that I am I refused to accept it. I KNEW he had to be wrong, God never would of said that. I prayed, I begged God to help, went to my pastor for support, surely he would see this wasn't from God.

Then one morning in my devotional God spoke to me, will you sacrifice this child to me, your wants, as I asked Abraham to sacrifice issiac on the altar? You know that voice in you that KNOWS God is speaking, but like a rebelous child you don't want to hear?

Genesis 22:1-19In this eighth encounter with the voice of God, Abraham's faith is put to the test. Seemingly, God tells Abraham to do the unthinkable by sacrificing Isaac, the child of divine promise. Amazingly, Abraham wastes no time and departs with Isaac the very next morning.

I didn't even have time to ponder my disobedience when I got a e-mail, from a complete stranger that said "Tanya, I feel the Lord is telling you that there is something in you life you have to lay down as Abraham had to lay Issiac down at the altar."

Then I broke..... it was God speaking and I just refused to listen. How I cried out to God for forgiveness.I hurt my husband and God by refusing to listen, but putting my own wants before his.

I know now that God was calling me out of Haiti and to Liberia Africa. He had four precious jewels waiting for us there. All the things I had learned in Haiti God would be using to DO HIS ministry in Africa.

Sometimes we never know why God says no. Trusting that he just has a plan to prosper us and not harm us. Oh how I pray I can always hear the voice of God when he speaks. That my needs never outweigh his commands.

NEWS FROM HAITI, THE ORGANIZTIONS I WAS INVOLVED IN.

Dear Friends,

We have amazing news! All 54 US-bound chldren that were in our care at the orphanages have flown out of Haiti and are in the United States. We are so grateful to them many wonderful people who made this possible. Thank you to the wonderful Diana Boni for her incredible efforts that set these children free, both in the last few days and in many years previously. Thank you to Jamie and Ali for their wonderful work on the ground, and for refusing to lift off without every one of our kids. And thank you to every one of you, for praying and supporting and making these efforts possible. We will be in touch in the coming weeks to let you know where we will head from here, there are many newly orphaned children and much work to be done.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

We continue to be desperately in need of sponsors for our special need children in Liberia Africa. Posted is just one of the children we need help for.I know that when we started this project in Liberia we had a whole different set of plans. We were going to open up a orphanage for special needs children. Caregivers would come in during the day and another set at night. It just seemed that no matter how we tried to get the doors open they would always close. I knew that God had formed this alliance of women who's hearts were with the homeless and hurting children in Liberia, why couldn't we get the doors open?

God was saying No I have another plan... a so much better plan. I want to place my children in foster homes with mothers who have no jobs, food or a way to care for themselves. I want to teach the people of Liberia to love handicapped children and that their disabilieies is not a curse, I love them as I love you. I want these children to be held and loved by the same person every day.... not to have to look at different faces.Yes, it was Gods true desire to have Liberians fostering Liberian special needs children so they could see the life changing miracles that can happen when love is present. And oh if they could just see the Love of Jesus in these small precious eyes everyday.

Now can we see how much Jesus loves these precious ones? Are they worth saving to the American world?For one hundred dollars a month one child can be saved. Can we give up starbucks, a lunch or two, a new outfit? So little for Americans. Oh Jesus let us see your heart for these little ones.

Luke 21:1-4 1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all: 4 for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.The Jews were instructed to give to the Temple and to the poor as part of their service to God. (So are we). One day Jesus sat at the Temple and watched people putting money into the offering boxes. Some people were rich and gave lots of money. Some gave money, but were unhappy about it. Then an poor woman, a widow, came up to the boxes.The poor woman put two of the smallest coins there were in the offering box. The disciples with Jesus weren't very impressed, but Jesus said this woman has given more than any other today. How could that be? Jesus said it was because it was all she had. How did the woman think she would buy dinner that night? She trusted in God to provide for her. She obeyed God's command, knowing that He would fulfill His promise to care for her in return. We must trust God the same way. Matt 6:33 says: "Seek first the kingdom of God and Hid righteousness and all these things (food, clothes, etc) will be added unto you."

Friday, January 8, 2010

Yeawee

Sherman

I am feeling so incredibly loved by Jesus.Last night my 10 yr. old son with Asthma started coughing. The weather is really cold, he has had a cold and I just knew his Asthma was acting up. I pulled out the inhaler and gave him a puff before he went to bed hoping that was the end of it. Well a couple of hours later he woke up coughing....ugh! He has a very mild Asthma so we don't have a nebulizer or any other medication right now, if he gets worse so it would mean a ER visit. I just called out to God to heal him and let him sleep the rest of the night.

RIGHT AWAY he stopped coughing and started sleeping peacefully.

I LOVE THOSE IMMEADIATE ANSWERS TO PRAYER!!!

Of course I love the ones that take a while too. I thought how many times I pray knowing God can heal, move, direct, but do I REALLY believe it? I have had LOTS of answers to prayer, direction given to me byGod, and yet I still hold a bit of unbelief in my heart.

I read a book recently Always Enough: God's Miraculous Provision among the Poorest Children on Earthby Heidi Baker. This one amazing woman! One of the things that amazed me the most was that when she led people (Africans) to the Lord she let them believe that Jesus could do anything... and guess what?He did!They would pray over people that were dead for hours and many were raised from dead. I am sure they thought Jesus did it why couldn't they? He raised Lazarus didn't he?

My second answer to prayer came in the form of a new therapist my son is seeing. When we made the decision that he needed to talk to someone, we felt such discouragement in our hearts. In California we had such a hard time finding someone experienced and full of the Love of Christ ... and might I add one we could afford. I asked our pastor for a recommendation and a local foster parent organization and the both pointed us in one direction. One of them mentioning a therapist by name. When I called to make the appointment the Secretary was so full of joy and happy to tell me they all served the Lord! Wow!!!I didn't ask for anyone by name but they gave me the name of the therapist they recommended. One visit and I was so impressed with his knowledge and his love for God.Thank you Lord for giving me these answerers to prayer ,which in my heart, I see as your never ending, faithful, fatherly nuggets of love.

Matthew 17:19-21 19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Monday, January 4, 2010

Global Orphan Outreach is planning a spring mission trip. Travel date is tentatively the week of April 7th, 2010.

This trip is for those who are interested in becoming more involved in some capacity with one of our special projects and want to see and experience first hand for themselves- Liberia and the needs of its people.

We will be visiting Forget-Me-Not Children’s Homes and its special children, fixing up and decorating some of the foster homes, visiting a University as well as building handicap ramps on campus, hold some work shops, touring Monrovia and the Bong Cty area, taking foster families out for a “day at the beach” including enjoying a Liberian style meal of chicken and rice with them. We hope to tour some hospitals, a feeding center, check out the caustic prevention/education project progress as well as taking time to drive through the 1 million acres of Firestone. There also will be plenty of free time for personal time; spending it however you wish.

Price for airfare, transportation as a group, 6 nights accommodations (air conditioned), food, and $100 donation towards the FMN program while in Liberia will be $2600. (Funds for snacks orIf you are interested in traveling with us or want more information about this exciting trip; please contact Christina Hoffman #651-353-5248 or Donna Barber #715-415-4401

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Conner giving the pig water

Aurallia, Richard, Julie and Destiny making lunch.

I have been in bed sick with the flu. My 5 yr. old daughter Mary came to lay in bed with me and was putting lotion on my arms. She said "Mommy, do you like being white?" I looked at her beautiful African skin and said "I love having skin that Jesus made just for me" We have lots of chats about "color" in our home being we are a very multiracial family. Jesus created all of us very special, with no mistakes, which includes the color of our skin, but society has set up their own system and black or brown have a different set of rules.

I am sure that other mothers would argue the point but I believe I have become a little Hispanic, African and Asian since we have adopted all of our children. Like when someone accused my 16 yr. old AA son of stealing something off a public library computer (he wouldn't even know how) just because he was the only black (we say brown in our home) kid in the place. I know that because when she said where is you mother, and he pointed to me, her mouth fell open and she had a real shocked look on her face. I didn't even have to defend him at that moment, she walked away. But I was SO mad and hurt. How dare she! And yet it was just another glimpse into SIN in our fallen world.But I so don't want my children to suffer....

My 5 yr. daughter also decided that she was going to pray for me. It went something like this "Jesus please heal my mother and all the African kids, and can you give us some more money because we need to buy more food and some toilet paper" Can you tell I haven't been to the store in a few days?

I do love when my kids do things that Glorify God, even if it is in their own home. These are pictures of my children who offered to make lunch when I was sick. It just warms my heart when they choose to serve and they don't have to be paid or persuaded.

Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of the heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." Matthew 11:25

Friday, January 1, 2010

Varney and his Mother.

Have you ever spend time just complaining? I had one of those nights. I don't know if it is hormones or just a spirit on discontentment. Lord I said " I hate living in such a little house and not having dryers." I hate that it is so dirty here and cold out in the country." "I miss my really big housein California" I was sobbing and well... you get the picture.

After I was done, my kind, loving, patient God just gently said "I wonder what Varney's mom is feeling right now? "

It was like a knife of reality pierced my soul. You see Varney has SEVERE hydrocephalus. He is 12 months old and is secluded from his community because of his deformity. His mother and him live in a one-room shack with a dirt floor. and with no money to care for themselves. Varney has bedsores on his head from lying all the time, as his head is too heavy to lift. His mother goes several days without eating . He laughs and interact with his mother but she cannot find him any medical help in Africa.

So how does she feel watching her child die, slowly, knowing she has no options? How does it feel to be hungry every day of your life? How does it feel to live in a shack with dirt floors....and have no one to talk to because you are a discrace for trying to save your special needs son?

Oh God, forgive me! How can I be so selfish when I have everything. I will never see my children die of a curable disease. I will never see them slowly die of starvation or drink contaminated water that gives them parisites.It is so easy to live in America and forget that so many are suffering. Thank You Lord for bringing me back to reality.

I cried and prayed even harder then... not for myself, but for Varney and his mom.....

About Me

I am first and foremost passionately in love with Jesus, my savior and my closest friend. I am a wife to a dedicated and loving husband and mother (and step-mom) to 28 children, most of them adopted. I am a retired nurse and passionate about helping homeless and abandoned children in Liberia Africa. Most of all I am so terribly blessed!!

Our Adult Children

Wes,Brandon,Blake,Dwayne,Jen,Sharon,Sandie, Monique, Trisha

Haven Kids

Haven Kids is a program in Liberia, Africa. Abandoned specialneeds children are placed in a loving foster homes. EacheEach child is provided a home, medical care, extra nutrition,weekly nursing visits and daily assitant nurse visits.We need sponsonsors, donations for housing, donations for additional medical care.Even though each child is loved and cared for medical careis very limited. We are praying for loving adoptive homesfor each of our children in the program.